State troopers will now guard turnpike toll collections

Formerly armed couriers who transport turnpike toll collections are being accompanied by State Police after the Turnpike Authority ordered them to turn in their guns.

Lindsey Parietti

Formerly armed couriers who transport turnpike toll collections are being accompanied by State Police after the Turnpike Authority ordered them to turn in their guns.

Turnpike Authority Executive Director Alan LeBovidge ordered six full-time couriers and 10 toll collectors, who serve as part-time couriers, to turn in their Smith & Wesson .38-caliber handguns after he discovered in December that they lacked proper training.

``At no time did the toll collectors have guns in the toll (booths), the two duties are separate,'' said authority spokesman Mac Daniel.

The couriers carried licenses for the weapons, but received no training beyond target practice at a Dorchester shooting range.

``It certainly doesn't make any sense to have toll collectors toting guns to transport cash,'' said board member Mary Connaughton. ``This should be done by professionals.''

Daniel said it would cost the pike $350,000 per year to continue the state police escort, and that the authority is looking at other options, including re-arming the pike couriers after they receive proper training.

``I'm not real happy to hear about that, you know it's (tollpayer) dollars,'' said Daniel Corey of Worcester.

``I'm not opposed to them carrying guns per say, but when it comes to firearms you absolutely have to have training.''

State officials and pike drivers alike were left in the dark about the practice and the fact that the authority had confiscated the weapons.

``It's shocking quite frankly. I cannot imagine a worst scenario than having toll takers carry guns without training,'' said state Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick.

``For a long time the Turnpike Authority was an agency that was unresponsive to the public and evaded public scrutiny, and I applaud Executive Director LeBovidge's efforts to bring transparency and openness to the authority. It's long overdue.''

Carrying a gun is more of a safety risk than a security measure, said Gill Napoleon as he exited the Fast Lane Service Center in the Natick toll plaza.

``Nobody is going to do anything, and if (the couriers) do shoot someone over a couple thousand dollars in tolls, that's crazy,'' he said.

Local 127, the pike workers union, did not return calls for comment.

Lindsey Parietti can be reached at lindsey.parietti@cnc.com.

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